Table 1 Mean T₂ relaxation times and variability of T₂ relaxation times (as means ± SD), vascular density, macrophage, T lymphocyte and B lymphocyte density (as median (25% percentile, 75% percentile)) in groups of teeth with distinct ICDAS scores

T₂relaxation times (ms)

111.9 ± 11.2

132.3 ± 18.5*

124.6 ± 14.8

112. 6 ± 18.2

0.013

T₂relaxation time variability (ms)

44.6 ± 4.9

46.6 ± 9.3

39.0 ± 5.5

38.6 ± 6.2†

0.007

Vascular volume density (mm3/mm3)

0.219

(0.09; 0.29)

0.301

(0.29; 0.32) *

0.279

(0.19; 0.31)

0.221

(0.16; 0.28) ‡

0.023

Macrophage density (N/mm²)

5.847

(2.30; 7.18)

19.894

(11.89; 25.92) *

27.500

(7.17; 41.07) ⁑

23.288

(16.15; 61.15) †

< 0.001

T lymphocyte density (N/mm²)

1.734

(0.71; 3.03)

7.778

(3.99; 12.11)

10.000

(5.52; 13.13) ⁑

5.000

(1.81; 13.40) †

0.001

B lymphocyte density (N/mm²)

0.000

(0.00; 0.13)

0.160

(0.13; 0.78)

2.240

(0.59; 4.007) ⁑

1.989

(0.81; 9.57) †

< 0.001